DR. ROBERT WATKINS is a spine surgeon, co-director of the Marina Spine Clinic. His expertise ranges from innovative spine surgeries to treatment of sports related injuries. In fact, his practice includes the successful treatment of professional athletes from all over the country, as well as adolescent sports heroes and recreational athletes. He is a founding member of the North American Spine Society, the largest spine society in the United States, and was the past society Secretary. As a surgeon, a speaker and an author, he is a renowned expert in orthopaedic injuries to the back and neck. He has lectured all over the world. He has authored many papers, chapters, and books including “The Surgical Approaches to the Spine,” published by Springer/Verlag and “The Spine in Sports,” published by C.V. Mosby Yearbook, a compilation of chapters on the management of spine injuries in every sport. Dr. Robert Watkins has participated in several FDA approved investigational studies and is currently a primary investigator on the ProDisc artificial disc replacement study.